The L.A. Times music blog

Beyoncé fired father Mathew Knowles after Live Nation accused him of theft, he alleges in lawsuit

July 12, 2011 | 3:09
pm

Beyoncé's father/former manager, Mathew Knowles, has filed legal papers rejecting Live Nation's claim that he stole money from the singer, resulting in his termination.

Earlier this year, Beyoncé announced that she had severed professional ties with her father/manager, Mathew Knowles, a decision said to have been amicable. She would take the reins over her mutliplatinum, Grammy-filled career and he would focus on his roster of gospel artists.

But in a lawsuit filed Monday in a Harris County, Texas, district court, Knowles claimed he in fact had been terminated by his daughter, and alleged he had been fired after Live Nation Entertainment made claims that he had stolen money from her.

Beyoncé announced her seperation from Knowles, who had guided her career since her teenage debut as lead singer of Destiny’s Child, in March.

"I've only parted ways with my father on a business level. He is my father for life, and I love my dad dearly. I am grateful for everything he has taught me. I grew up watching both he and my mother [Tina Knowles] manage and own their own businesses," she wrote in a statement. "They were hard-working entrepreneurs and I will continue to follow in their footsteps." She soon launched her own management company, Parkwood Entertainment.

In the filing, the elder Knowles claimed that the concert conglomerate, which promoted the singer's past tours, had made false allegations about him to his daughter in hopes of gaining rights to promoting her 2011 world tour.

In the petition, Knowles claimed that after failing to secure the rights to her world tour, Live Nation told her or members of her team that he "had stolen money from Beyoncé on her most recent tour or otherwise taken funds that [he] was not entitled to.”

A law firm representing the singer acted on those accusations and conducted an audit in October 2010 which allegedly concluded that Knowles had indeed taken money. He was subsequently terminated, according to the documents, and a confidentiality agreement between Knowles and Beyoncé was signed.

Mathew Knowles denies the accusations, and is asking a judge to take depositions from key Live Nation employees to determine the origins of the allegations.

He has also demanded to see the results of the audit, as well as any communication between the singer, husband Jay-Z (whose RocNation is part of Live Nation) and any of her representatives. Knowles also wants to know the purpose of a recent $4-million payment Live Nation made to the singer after he was terminated.

Beyoncé's father also managed the solo careers of her groupmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. He also manages his daughter (and Beyoncé's sister) Solange. Though Rowland and Williams have separated from him, Knowles would still represent them as part of Destiny’s Child should they choose to reunite -- something he promised while promoting his artists at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans earlier this month.

Beyoncé's last tour was 2009's I Am… Tour, which grossed $86 million, according to Pollstar's year end report.

Both representatives for Live Nation and Beyoncé declined to comment for this story.